Underbelly
by Shannon C. Redfield
Summary: A more detailed version of my favorite scenario. First chapter is a bit long, and contains mild KevinxDavid. If you don't like it then don't enter. Mainly Kevin's POV. R&R if you like. COMPLETE
1. Relentless Horrors

I guess now I shall try my hand at Resident Evil.

First off I am sorry to disappoint my previous reviewers; they are used to me writing stories from Star Wars. If any of them are reading this right now, I apologize for not updating any of my Star Wars fics for I need to see Episode 3 again to get myself back in gear.

As for my new reviewers concerning Resident Evil, I want you all to know that this is my first fic for this section. If anything is off please forgive me for I shall try to be as accurate as possible and any ideas for future chapters or even separate stories are welcome.

**Quick Disclaimer:** I obviously do not own Resident Evil or anything affiliated with Capcom. I do however, own this story. Or at least…you all get the picture.

I have read a couple of stories surrounding the scenario I have chosen for my story to take place in, and evidently they gave me a brain storm. To those of you who I'm talking about, I want to say thank you. If none of you like even the _mildest_ hint of David/Kevin, then please don't read this. **You'll only upset yourself further. **There's also not much for me to say to those David/Alyssa fans. I've played the games several times and still have not seen the hints that they like each other.

That is just my opinion. Don't flame me on that.

Oh, and as a side-note, I _am_ a Yoko fan. Sure, she practically grabs all the items she comes across but it's good to have her on your team, so you can give her stuff that you'll probably use later.

I ask you all kindly not to flame me because of that. We all have our favorite characters. Yoko just happens to be mine (next to Kevin, David and Alyssa of course).

Onwards!

* * *

"Hurry up and get in!"

"Dammit, don't scream!"

"David are you okay!"

David didn't look up as Kevin helped him inside the motionless sub-car, one arm drapped around Kevin's shoulder. "He's fine," Kevin replied. "Just a little stunned."

"Here, let me help." Yoko took David's other arm around her shoulder and helped Kevin lay him down on one of the seats in the back of the car.

"Where's Jim?" Alyssa demanded. She quickly closed the doors as soon as the boys' were inside; coughing from the smoke that still crept into the car and then turned around to face him. "I thought he was with you."

"You got him?" Kevin asked as he took off his gas mask.

Yoko nodded. "I'll take him from here." She helped David rest on the seat, using her overstuffed backpack as a pillow. "It's a bit bumpy---"

"It's fine." David interrupted, almost in a whisper as he took off his mask. He grunted and tensed as the wound on the right side of his abdomen gave him problems. Already the blood was seeping through the fresh bandages that were applied earlier. Yoko silently prayed for Cindy to return soon to help change David's wrappings.

"Kevin!" Alyssa became impatient.

"What?" Kevin turned to give her his famous 'I-heard-you-earlier-look.'

"_Where_ is Jim?" She repeated, tapping her foot.

"Still upstairs with Cindy and Mark, trying to turn the water back on. Remember?"

"And George?"

Kevin hesitated before answering. "I guess he's with them."

"You guess?"

"Hey, I dunno, okay? He might be with them, but then again he might not be. For all I know he's still trying to help us escape from this hellhole! And besides, you weren't even listening to half of the plan any way before we were attacked and you took off!"

"Don't yell," David barely managed to say. Kevin looked over his shoulder to stare at him. "Remember your blood pressure."

"What he means is that George might be in a different part of the station, waiting for something to turn on so we may continue," Yoko piped in before Kevin thought of something to counter David's joke. "And that wherever Jim is, he needed Mark and Cindy's help in reaching his goal of diminishing the smoke outside. Say for instance, the emergency sprinklers? Is that what you meant, Alyssa, of where George was?"

Yoko meant it as to break the ice between Alyssa and Kevin, who throughout this whole ordeal have crossed paths many times over little issues. Kevin took her hint and Alyssa nodded, following. "Yes."

Kevin shrugged. "So there you go. George is waiting his turn."

"Let's hope we leave before more of those things follow us down here and block our escape. I'd hate to run into them again."

"I'll say." Kevin sat down opposite Yoko and David, reminiscing of what happened when they first took shelter in the subway station.

* * *

(Not even a half hour ago)

Jim already had the key necessary for entering the employee area since he worked here. So far they hadn't run into any trouble, not a single zombie was seen or heard. The station was almost too quiet.

A scream coming from nearby got everyone's attention. Those who were bringing up the rear—Cindy, George and Mark—were already moving to investigate with Kevin not that far behind. Jim made his way past Yoko and she stayed in the same area as David, who seemed to be leading. Kevin took it for granted that the scream was a perfect distraction. As David was yelling at him to know what was going on, Yoko almost didn't see the small quickly moving object making its way towards him from the ventilation shaft.

"David!"

He turned to aim his gun at whatever danger was lurking behind him, only the creature was much faster than he anticipated. It latched onto his side and dug its teeth into his flesh, making him drop his weapon, as another latched onto his back and screamed. It all but paralyzed David, who repeatedly slammed the things into the wall to get them off. Yoko screamed as Kevin quickly kicked open the door and fired off three carefully successful rounds into the mutated things' bodies. One was killed instantly while the other slumped to the floor along with David, the heavy creature bringing him down. Kevin thought he accidentally shot David until he saw the plumber hit the remaining thing with his wrench and watched it scurry back into the shaft.

David coughed and held onto his torn-open side. "Mother-fucking thing bit me!" He rolled over onto his back and winced from the pain.

"David…" Yoko whispered in the corner with concern. Kevin managed to hoist David up on his feet with Yoko getting up to help him. They continued on when the rest of the group were done investigating the noise. They couldn't save the young lady from being dragged into the ceiling towards her impending doom, only watch as _something _made her its nighttime snack. Unfortunate really; Cindy recognized the young lady as a frequent customer to the bar she worked at.

A quick examination and a satisfied cleansing from George, David's wound was properly dressed and they were on their guard the rest of the way. "If we can make it before the last train passes through here," Alyssa was explaining. "We can make it out of the city before sunrise." Jim confirmed that the last train always came at the last second, if not on time. The moment of anxiety was short-lived when they all heard the familiar sounds of something big coming to the station. Alyssa had checked her watch and realized that it was about that time when the train would be checking in. They didn't keep track and soon they were quickly and carefully, afraid that another creature that resembled a flea would be attacking, made their way to the platform.

Apparently the car was coming at full speed for it didn't stop at the intended platform; it crashed through a wall of debris and shook the whole underground, throwing everyone off balance from its terrific crash. Smoke soon seeped through the ventilation shafts and crept under nearby doors. Jim told everyone that there was a train already down at the platform that they could use for escape. It was in the state of repair and was positive that the thing was done and ready to go. "But the smoke is too thick," Alyssa argued. "Plus, what if those things are down there…"

"We have to take our chances, girl!" Jim shouted back. "Look, there are some gas masks in the locker room we can use to get down there. If we—"

"Oh no!" Alyssa warned. "I'm not putting one of those itchy things on."

"Then you'll have no other choice but to choke up here, won't you missy?" Mark put in. "Besides, what choice do we have? If Jim says it's ready to go, then we go."

"Are there enough masks for all of us?" Cindy asked.

Jim hesitated. "I think only two of us will be able to make it down there unless I get the sprinkler system to work."

Reluctantly after some extensive arguing and constant finger pointing, Alyssa and Yoko decided on going down to check the train and make sure it was in perfect order. "We can hold our breaths longer than any one else."

Kevin smirked. "I'm sure you can."

Alyssa ignored him as he got some nervous chuckles out of the group, including himself. "And being that Yoko is on her swim-team that makes her a likely candidate. We can rush down there, locate the train amidst the smoke and give you the signal." She checked her gun to make sure a bullet was ready to be fired. "Just don't drag your sorry ass down there for too long. No offense, David."

"Whatever."

Alyssa bit her lower lip. "All right. He's starting to pale, so I suggest we move it."

They were attacked again before Alyssa and Yoko had a chance to equip their new masks. Kevin had to keep David in a safe position while the others took potshots at the irregular-sized fleas that just kept on coming. The funny part was that Kevin sensed a pattern of some kind. _It was like they could smell blood. Every time they came out from the shafts they immediately went after David._

When the coast seemed clear Yoko took off after realizing that Alyssa already did. Kevin helped David with his mask, not knowing if any of the other four made it out of the predicament together or if the fleas separated them.

He hoped they were still alive.

"David…?"

Kevin snapped out of his trance and sat up, alert.

"David," Yoko said again in a soft tone. Kevin watched her with keen eyes. She may be the quietest one in the bunch, but she was very much alive like the rest of them. She reached into her front pocket and pulled out a small piece of white cloth. "I'm going to wipe your forehead now, okay? Your sweating an awful lot." With a gentle touch she lightly dabbed his forehead.

Kevin had to admire her strength. Even in the midst of chaos she always kept her cool. He was almost expecting her to take off when the battles got bad, like how most school girls did when the situation got out of control…to get lost or end up dead. But not Yoko.

Not Yoko.

"Kevin?"

"Yeah?" She motioned for him to be next to her. Kevin did just that, coming down on one knee so he could look at her eye-to-eye. "Anything I can do?"

"Look at him," she said in an even softer tone. "Something is very wrong. His breathing is a bit erratic, and he's sweating is continuous."

Kevin shrugged. "That's what happens after when your attacked by a giant flea. It traumatizes you."

She shook her head. "No. It's got to be something else."

"Hey, Yoko." Alyssa called from the opposite side.

Kevin motioned with his head that Alyssa was calling her. "Go see what she wants. I'll see if David is up to talking." She nodded and got up. "And don't take any of her bullshit, you hear me?"

"I heard that!"

Yoko smiled, giggling. "I'll remember that."

Kevin watched the two girls' argue over his comment, Yoko doing exactly what he told her to do. It was a funny scene, really. He didn't know the young student had it in her to stand up to a stuck-up reporter. But from back here, she seemed to be doing just fine.

"Kevin…"

A rather unusually cold hand touched his arm. Kevin stared back into David's face, which was pale almost beyond belief. "David."

He swallowed. "I don't feel right."

Kevin shifted. He finally sat down completely with his back to the girls'. "What is it?"

David swallowed again as if his throat was constantly dry. This worried Kevin. "I think… My veins feel constricted. My vision is starting to blur and I feel…sick…" He coughed suddenly, surprising Kevin. The amount of force behind it made Kevin to believe that he already knew what David was trying to tell him.

"Alyssa! Hand me that water canteen you found earlier!"

"It's in my bag, Kevin." Yoko answered instead before returning to debate with Alyssa over some meaningless drabble.

"Right. Sorry David, you'll have to lift your head." He gently helped David sit up, careful not to disturb his wound so much, and fished out the water canteen. "Here. Take a slug. Your body might be demanding water."

David did so with much enthusiasm, nearly chugging down the whole container. After a few agonizing seconds, he waved the canteen away.

Kevin set it back inside the backpack. "You okay to sit up or do you need to lie back down?"

The dark-haired man's hesitation was enough. Although he didn't voice it, Kevin knew that David was still suffering quite a bit. Instead he stared back at the cop and lightly patted the space next to the backpack. "I wouldn't mind company."

He smiled. Pushing the large pack aside he took his seat next to the plumber. "So what do you think is wrong?"

"…I think I'm poisoned." David wiped his forehead free of sweat with his arm. "I can feel it traveling through my veins and I don't like it."

Looking over the other way to the still arguing girls, Kevin took David's cold hand into his. "That thing?"

"Yeah."

"Can you breathe?"

"I can talk, can't I?"

"Just checking," he looked back at him. David had his eyes closed and was resting his head against the wall. Watching David suffer like this always aggravated Kevin. Times like these he wished he could _do _something instead of waiting around for some one else to be the hero. In this case he could only hope that someone found an antidote. If any of them bugs carried a virus, however… He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think such thoughts. Instead his gaze fell upon the blood-soaked bandages that David kept his other hand pressed against. Still Kevin blamed himself for letting his guard down—for forgetting to expect the unexpected. He would never forgive himself for letting David down. He wouldn't fail again.

David squeezed his hand. "Kev."

"Yeah, Dave?"

He visibly swallowed. "I think I need to puke."

Kevin nodded. _That's what the poison does to you, _he thought. "Okay. Let's see where we can empty our insides, shall we?"

* * *

"I found a bucket," Yoko said a bit cheerfully, handing it to Kevin. "It was tucked away in the next car." She took off her mask. "The windows were all smashed and the smoke was thick. Luckily I wasn't attacked."

"Thanks." Kevin turned to David, who looked like he couldn't hold his guts in any longer. "Do you want to do this sitting up or on your knees?"

Immedialty David dived for the silver object, puking his contents into it rather noisily. Alyssa turned her back to him for some privacy and Yoko followed suit. Kevin rubbed David's back until he finished, spitting out something yellow.

"That's disgusting," Alyssa commented.

Kevin ignored her as he pushed the bucket aside and helped David back onto the seat. "Need more water?"

David coughed and wiped his forehead. "That's what I threw up."

"Oh."

Just then something started to fall atop the car. David squeezed Kevin's hand and Kevin squeezed back. It wasn't rubble, for the sound was too soft. It sounded…soothing. Like soft rain gently cleansing a garden during spring. Alyssa held her gun ready, alert for anything. Kevin kept his other hand lingering near his weapon as well, unsure of what to make of the sound.

"The sprinklers," Yoko whispered. "Jim must have turned them on."

"We're almost home free." Alyssa turned to look out the sub car's double windows. "The smoke is disappearing."

"Should we wait for them?" Yoko asked.

Kevin shrugged, dropping his hand away from his gun. "Do we really have a choice? This is the only working car, right? Jim knows how to operate this so I suppose we should."

Many moments later, Jim and the rest of the group made it to the car. Luckily, George found a few items from a stashed emergency kit to help slow David's poison. A quick prick from a syringe and it was done. "That should do it."

"Thanks, Doc."

George nodded. He gave Kevin that 'He'll be fine' look, knowing that he and David had something between them. "My pleasure."

"Are we ready yet?" Kevin asked Jim as he settled into the drivers seat.

Jim nodded, taking off his hat to wipe his forehead with his sleeve. "Both emblems are in place and we should be ready to take off."

"What's the problem then?"

"Nothing. It needs time to warm-up before we can move."

"Odd those two emblems are used to unhook from the other car," Yoko reflected.

Jim turned to regard her. "This isn't an ordinary train, you know. It's an emergency escape vehicle for the employees should anything go wrong. The emblems are only used if the second train isn't needed to hold any more passengers. So, by unhooking the second train…"

"…the lighter the load the first one is, the quicker it will move through the station," Yoko finished.

"Smart," commented George. "But likely dangerous."

Jim shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea."

"Well, I don't want to wait around any longer than necessary," Kevin complained. "I just want to get out of here and find a cure for David's poison."

"Cool it, Ryman. It's not like he's your boyfriend or brother." Alyssa said without much enthusiasm.

Kevin looked as if he was about to jump her. Of all the smart-aleck remarks he had to put up with tonight, she sure knew how to press his buttons. He lifted a finger in the air to yell back a retort when George lightly placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him, and Mark stepped in his path, addressing Alyssa. "Hey, we _all _had a rough night and deserve to make it out in one piece, David especially. I for one, agree with Kevin that David does need the proper treatment in order to cure the poison. So I suggest that we calm down and wait until the train is ready to move so we can get the hell out of here. Alright, missy?"

Alyssa stared at him with piercing eyes. She hated it when Mark called her missy and he knew it. She wasn't about to start an argument with the retired war-vet, but if he pushed her to the limit she wouldn't hesitate to be all over him. Instead she kept her cool and went along with it. There would be another time when she would go toe-to-toe with Mark. "Yes."

Mark slowly nodded. "That's better."

Jim suddenly tensed up. "Anybody feel that?"

The car became quiet. Like death quiet. Nobody moved as they waited for the movement that Jim apparently felt. With all the movement of feet and the heat of a near-argument in the air, it was pure luck that he—of all of them—felt something. Then they all did.

_Thump_

Jim's breathing increased, his heart tagging along.

_Thump… thump…_

Cindy nervously rubs her hands together, looking from one face to another.

_Thump… thump… thump…_

Alyssa stands up straighter, wishing she had a cigarette.

_Thump… thump… thump… thump…_

Mark swallows his fear, only to feel it slowly rise again.

_Thump… thump… thump… thump… thump…_

Yoko is nearly on the verge of crying out, but does her best to keep her cool.

_Thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump…_

George closes his eyes, calmly waiting for the inevitable.

_Thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump…_

David feels the sweat bead furiously all about his body, his fever rising.

_Thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump…_

Kevin stands his ground, he feels he is ready.

…………

_Silence…_

Nobody breathes. Nobody moves.

…………

Hearts are stopping at once. Blood circulation freezes.

…………

Muscle and bone harden. Pupils narrow at signs of dread.

……_THUMP_……

Kevin's eyes grew wide at his earlier revelation…_they_ do _smell blood!_

Immediately he grabbed David and threw him to the floor, falling on top him to use himself as a human shield, as the car is suddenly rocked violently back and forth. The lights flicker continuously under the amount of tremendous pressure. In no time Kevin can hear Yoko and Cindy's ongoing screams. The sound of them managing to drown out the noise of hard metal being banged about amidst the chaos surprised him. Alyssa yelling at them to shut up didn't help either; they continued to strain their lungs as everyone was thrashed about the tiny space. The thing was very stubborn and also very strong. Bits of ceiling dust fell to the floor and also one light, which nearly landed near Kevin's feet.

He couldn't see the others and how they were managing from getting tossed side to side, but hoped that they followed his lead and dropped to the ground. The thing that held the sub car within its grip began to howl its outrage; making Kevin and even David cover their ears.

"Ahhh!" Jim covered his ears and tossed his sorry ass to the floor. "The thing won't stop!"

"No shit!" Alyssa cried back.

"Will it ever?" Cindy bumped into Mark and then fell to her knees near a seat, doing to her best to hold on before letting out random bursts of screams.

…then all was quiet. The rocking stopped and with it the girls' screams. Once again silence enveloped them all. Did it go away since none of them came out? Kevin looked over his shoulder; saw Jim put a finger to his lips to keep everyone quiet. Then they heard it.

…_thump…thump…thump………thump………_

_It's going away, _Kevin thought. Perhaps his earlier theory about them smelling was incorrect. He hoped it was. Slowly everyone either sat up or stayed where they were. Kevin got Jim's attention and through hand signals and quietly mouthing words, told him to check on the status of the car. Jim nodded with hesitation, but clearly understood that it meant their lives. He very slowly began to crawl back to the control seat, looking up at the ceiling and at the windows for any signs of danger.

David squeezed his eyes shut and suppressed a moan. Kevin looked at him, seeing that David was clutching his wound. It was obvious the hard knock to the floor must've done some damage. He placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort, concerned that maybe he was indeed a bit rough with his actions. Slowly, Kevin managed to get David sitting up against the wall. He opened his tan jacket and carefully lifted his blood-soaked shirt to examine the extent of David's wound. Small trinkets of blood seeped down to David's pants as Kevin made him sit up straighter. A soft whistle from George got Kevin's attention.

'_How is he?_' George mouthed. He was sitting up against a seat in front of Cindy, a small trace of blood smeared on his face.

'_Not good._' Kevin replied back, barely shaking his head.

'_Do you need me?'_

Kevin nodded.

'_I'm coming over.' _George fumbled through his coat pockets and found what he was looking for, relieved that it didn't break when he was being thrown about the car. Cindy placed a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see her offering him her lucky handkerchief, figuring he could use it. '_You sure?'_

She nodded. He took it and began to slowly make his way to David and Kevin. Another soft whistle came from behind George, and Kevin looked beyond the doctor to Jim signaling that all was well and that they could take off any second. At last hope seemed to be on their side. They could take off and leave the monsters behind, maybe even smash into a few along the way, sending them off to oblivion while everyone escapes unharmed. If they could only do that….

The look on Yoko's face caught Kevin's attention. He stared at her for a few unfelt heartbeats before turning his gaze to where she was looking, at the window above George and Cindy. A dark shadow quickly darted away from the window.

Kevin's heart jumpstarted. "George!"

_CRASH_

The window above him shattered as a long, skinny brown leg invaded the car. George flattened himself upon the floor while Cindy backed away and sat near Jim. Yoko watched as it just hung in the air, right above her. She slowly made her way towards Mark, who grabbed her outstretched hands and quickly pulled her to safety. They all watched in utter silence as it wavered around, as if trying to feel them out rather then touch anything. Left, right, left, right…left…right…

It began to move in further, inching towards the ground. Mark pulled Yoko closer to him as it came within inches of their faces. Alyssa ducked under the skinny leg and rolled the other way when it nearly made contact with her. Jim urged Cindy to sit on his lap and he quickly closed the door of the small compartment and waited, both staring out the thick viewing glass. When it came into contact of the closed door, it retracted and went back, slithering along the floor next to George. His eyes followed the grotesque mutated leg with little interest. It stopped midway, right near him. With ease, George pressed himself under the seats.

Kevin watched as the tentacle suddenly turned his direction. Beginning to doubt his earlier doubts about his theory, he easily grabbed David and hoisted him to the back left corner of the car. If it could indeed sense or even smell blood, then David was the intended target. It made its way to where David sat a few moments earlier, searching. Kevin noted the traces of smeared blood on the wall that David left behind as Kevin was helping him to the corner. This frightened Kevin.

He could feel the plumber's warm breath on the back of his neck as the grotesque leg followed the scent of David's blood. Kevin swallowed his anxiety of shooting the damn thing as it rose off the floor, resting in the air inches from his face. Behind him David slumped further to the floor. Kevin closed his eyes, gritting his teeth in disgust as the disgusting leg examined his face. It smelled like dust and felt like sticky glue. Not a very suitable combination. For many agonizing seconds it stopped and, convinced that it was the wrong victim, retracted again and went out the window, disappearing into the dark tunnel. Kevin breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed his shoulders, felt David lean his forehead against Kevin's back and heard everyone else breathe sighs of relief. Jim and Cindy poked their heads out from the tiny compartment and looked around. Mark nodded his head to indicate it was over and Cindy slid away from Jim.

George wiped his face free of blood and gave an exasperated look to Kevin, glad that it didn't smell it on him, however little there was. Kevin gave a thumps up and turned to check on David. "How are you holding up?" He asked, whispering.

David looked into Kevin's beautiful blue eyes. "Thanks for saving me," he whispered back. Kevin grinned, holding one side of David's face, rubbing his cheek with his thumb. David closed his eyes and enjoyed Kevin's warm touch. "Just get us the hell out of here."

"Will do."

Kevin turned to signal to Jim to get the sub car moving—when the brown leg appeared again, smashing through the window closer to Mark and Yoko. She let out a scream as Mark began to shoot at it. George took out his own gun and aimed carefully before firing. It jerked and swiped at Mark, who ducked at the last second. Then it turned its attention to George and tried to swipe at him. It missed and George sent another bullet into it. It quickly disappeared and entered again through the window above him, stabbing at the ground in hopes of impaling someone. George kicked at it and hit the slightly hairy thing with the butt end of his gun. Firing off a round was dangerous; Kevin knew as he pulled out his gun and aimed. If the shot went wild it could possibly hit Jim, Cindy or Alyssa.

He went ahead and did so hitting it dead on. The creature howled in pain and suddenly whipped his direction, throwing him against the opposite wall with such force that it knocked the air out of his lungs. David fumbled for his own weapon as it came near him, this time sensing the bleeding man. Jim came running up to it and slashed his knife at the hole Kevin made earlier. It jerked violently and pushed Jim aside. Cindy came after him and pulled on his arm with Alyssa grabbing onto Jim's shirt, both tugging him to safety. It was too strong and they knew it. Even while injured it could still knock the wind out of them and put up a good fight.

Then it hungrily came after David. It wrapped around his waist and lifted the injured man off the ground and towards the window. "David!" Yoko quickly got up and ran to him, grabbing onto one of his hands and pulling. "Help me!"

Mark and Jim followed. Mark grabbed hold of his other hand and Jim pulled on his arm. Alyssa and Cindy helped Yoko and together all five pulled, trying to get David free of the things grip. Meanwhile in his corner, Kevin coughed and heard Yoko scream for help. He looked up and saw that the thing held onto David, trying to get him through the window, the others doing their best to pull him back.

_Damnit! _He chastised himself._ Damnit damnit damnit! _Another cough and he was back on his feet, rushing to help the others. The look of terror in David's eyes as he was being pulled both ways only encouraged Kevin. Without hesitation he stood on top of the seats and fired his gun outside the broken window, hoping to hit the large son-of-a-bitch. He fired off several rounds until the creature howled and loosened its grip on David. It wasn't enough to pull him free so Kevin kept on unloading his clip.

The creature howled again and this time gave the car a good, solid jerk. Everyone let go of David and fell back from the sudden force. Even Kevin slammed into the door behind him, dropping his gun. With a final howl and muffled yell from David, it pulled him through the window and disappeared.


	2. The meaning of Fear

Chapter 2! How exciting!

Cannibal Jello, I am SO glad you dropped by and gave me your review---you made my night! I was actually hoping for you to show up so I can tell you thank you for helping to inspire me to write this piece, and I'm glad you approved of it! THANK YOU!

PJ, a special thanks to you too. I'm very glad and and very happy that you enjoyed the sub-car scene---I gave that one a lot of thought. I'm glad you found it suspenseful!Yoko Forever!

Halloween Sora, love your name! I play Kingdom Hearts, too. Any way, keep your fingers crossed for Kevy to come to the rescue!

Again, if any of you guys have any suggestions for future chapters or even one-shots that take place during my story, drop me a line. Okie? Okay!

Onwards!

* * *

He began to hear sounds.

Sounds of dripping water.

Hissing of ventilation pipes.

The gentle hum of working machinery.

Even the occasional crackles of severed electrical wires.

And…something else.

It echoed throughout the large tunnel, or so he thought he was in a tunnel. Slowly he opened his eyes. It was so dark that his eyes had trouble focusing before he could make out specific shapes.

_I'm in the air? _He thought inwardly. _No, I'm…on the ground._

David blinked his eyes a few times. He took in a deep breath and let it out—immediately regretting the action for he disturbed large heaps of dust that suddenly flew around his face. He sat up, coughing and cleaning the dust off of him. If Alyssa saw him do this he was sure that she would say something to piss him off.

..._click…click…_

He froze.

…_click…click…click…_

Heart pumping loudly within his chest, David lowered his hands and looked around. The tunnel was empty but that didn't mean that company wasn't there.

…_click click click…click…_

He reached for his tool belt…_you won't eat me alive!_

…_click…_

David looked up and saw the little bugger scurrying across the pipes. It looked a little bigger then the ones that attacked him earlier, which made him think twice if his tools were enough to help him. Very easily he moved closer to the walls—and felt something sticky against his arm. He turned and saw that the whole tunnel and beyond was covered in long, thick white columns of…he wasn't sure, but it resembled something that a spider would weave, only bigger. He looked up and swore that if his heart couldn't rise any further into his throat and choke him…it did now.

_Humans. Jesus, they're all…_

Countless bubble-sacks held what remained of the few survivors who made it to the subway—even some of the workers. Some were missing limbs, others missing eyes or have torn open stomachs and chests… They all died with an expression of horror. The very sight of human remains wrapped in a gross substance made him turn away. David almost puked whatever contents he had left in his stomach before he controlled his breathing and addressed the situation at hand. He had to be sure to stay alive long enough for the rest of the group to come rescue him. If any more of the bugs were nesting in its feeding ground then he was already convinced he was outnumbered.

He shook his head. This was no place to die. Not here. Not now. They would have to tear him limb from limb before he was through with them. He swore he wouldn't end like the unfortunate that helplessly hovered above him. No…they would first have a taste of his wrench.

The bugs scurried away without notice to their newest victim. If he could make it back to the others he could escape this enclosed nightmare. He checked his bandages and was relieved to see that they were still there, glad that no bug decided to gnaw on him while he was unconscious. He gathered his legs under him to stand…and felt him anchored. One look at his legs told him the terrible truth; he was binded by the white stuff from his ankles up to his middle thighs. Whatever brought him here sure didn't want him to leave.

_Midnight snack my ass. _David tried pulling at it, hoping to tear it free. He then tried using other tools to make a small cut in it and loosen it that way.

Nothing.

Following the trail of the white string it started from his legs and crept up to the ceiling, disappearing among the rest of it… He averted his eyes once more away from the grotesque scene that surrounded the white substance. He couldn't break the bond or tear small cuts in it to weaken it.

He could only wait. Wait for the others and hoped that they had something better to use then he. For all he knew most of them were dead or horribly injured from the thing that snagged him. David sat up against the horrible stuff, closing his eyes and once again trying not to puke his guts out, all the while listening in case if any of the bugs came back.

He didn't want to suffer like this. He wanted the poison out of his body and now. He wanted to stop bleeding so they wouldn't keep coming after him the minute they got hungry, since he figured that was the reason why they chose him. It was too much to handle.

Finally…he wanted Kevin. He wanted his better half to be by his side, helping him out of this predicament. Telling him that it was just a dream; that he didn't get attacked and had his stomach torn open from the side, that it wasn't true that blood is all they ever went after, that they didn't stash him here as a later snack. Which got him thinking of why there were so many victims. Why all the random "egg" sacks?

Personally, David didn't want to know. He didn't feel healthy enough to care about if there was something bigger then the bugs crawling around. _Except there is…it pulled me from the car… _Now he wanted out. If he wasn't so sick he would have chewed off his legs to escape.

…_thump…_

David opened his eyes.

…_thump…thump…_

He swallowed down his urge to vomit and looked down the direction the vibration was coming from. The other end of the tunnel was dark and poorly lit. He couldn't make out much of anything.

…_thump…thump…thump…_

Sweat began to build on his face and drip down his back. His fever was starting to rise and with it his heartbeat increased. The giant monster that snagged him earlier was returning, possibly to "check" on its recent victim. He didn't want to go through that horror again.

He could start to see it now.

…_thump…thump…thump…_

It was brown. It was large—very large—and it was tall. The monsters small beady eyes surveyed the room as it came to a halt several meters down, taking in its nesting beauty. This sickened David. It turned to the side and examined a cocooned human, wondering if maybe it should eat it. David wanted to turn away but couldn't help but to stare. It was unnerving and yet he felt the urge to watch. It was almost breathtaking.

Making a sound like it disliked the snack before it; it turned away and continued its trek towards him. David kept himself pressed against the wall, hiding behind a large column of the white goo. If he could keep himself hidden there was a chance it wouldn't see him. David took his chances. He tucked himself further behind the column and gently laid himself down, careful not to make a sound. If he let out a small cry of pain from the weight being pressed against his stomach, he was done for.

_Hurry Kevin._

* * *

Kevin's head throbbed. It sounded like great bells were constantly ringing where his brain should have been. He relaxed his neck and breathed deeply, calming his mind. Slowly it went away…_must be a small one, then. They never last for so short a time. _Whatever. It was going away and that was enough to put him at ease. He opened his eyes and blinked. He was still in the car, the others scattered around him. 

"Kevin…" It was Yoko.

He carefully turned his head to look at her. She was partially sprawled on George who was out cold. "Are we dead?"

She managed a smile. "No. But I think we took a quick nap."

"Can you move?"

"Can you?"

"I just woke up."

"I know."

"How long have you been awake?"

"Awhile."

"Have you tried to move?"

"…my hand hurts."

"That's because its under George's head."

"Oh."

"Think you sprained it?"

"I doubt it." She carefully slid her hand out from under George's noggin. "It feels fine."

"Okay." He assessed his situation. He wasn't crushing anybody and did some random limb checking; moving his fingers, shaking his legs, wiggling his toes, bending his knees and elbows to eventually he tried sitting up. His back cracked in several spots—including his neck.

"Ouch."

"Your telling me. That felt rather nice."

Yoko was sitting up when she disturbed George. He smiled up at her when she waved at him a 'hello' after he had woken up. Together, Kevin and Yoko managed to get everyone back on their feet and George made sure no one was seriously injured.

"Everyone seems to be fine," he confirmed a short time later. "No major damage done."

Cindy looked around frantically. "Where's David?"

That's when the fear washed over Kevin. This whole time he was concerned for everyone else's well-being he had forgotten about the one person he swore to protect—the love of his life. Everyone stood there, looking from one face to the next as if searching for the right action in which to take. All eyes soon fell upon the broken window that David's helpless body was pulled out of. Beyond the shattered glass lied the near-dark tunnel that swallowed the poor man whole. Quietly, the darkness beckoned Kevin to come out. It mocked him; his eyes soon falling within its dark trance, beckoning him to his death. The soft echoes of an abandoned subway filled everyone's ears and sent shivers down their spines. If there was one thing they all understood at that moment, it was fear.

It was Yoko who spoke up, breaking the silence to fill their lungs with strength. "We have to find him."

* * *

David didn't know which scared him the most; the way he was taken from the car or the ghastly sight that loomed above him. So far he had managed to keep himself quiet, keep himself still as the large bug continued towards him until it was practically a few feet away. The last thing he wanted was to become its snack. 

His injury wasn't helping, either. Each time he struggled to take a breath it hurt his side when the skin expanded. He prayed hard that the giant bug didn't smell his vulnerability. If it did…

The giant flea then began to examine the "egg" sacks. He couldn't see the monstrosity very well through the thick goo without lifting his head to look above and around it. He knew he'd be putting himself at high risk of being spotted if he did that. _Lie still, keep quiet…calm your breathing. It'll pass. It'll examine them and move on…it won't spot you…_

The anxiety of the moment made him sweat. If the bug didn't kill him the poison will. He started to have his doubts about that shot that George gave him. If it did indeed slow down the poison's wrath, he still shouldn't be sweating so much. _Your bleeding for Christ's sake, _he scolded himself. _Isn't it obvious your bleeding it out?_

Just then the giant bug came closer to his hiding spot. David kept himself lying still and managed to calm his breathing. He could hear it making those smacking noises with its mouth as it lifted itself up on its hind legs and examined the sacs…right above his head. The sight of the ugly bug nearly made David wince. He suppressed his urge to fidget, forcing himself from making any sudden moves.

It continued to examine the victims, finally resting its sights upon one. He couldn't see which of the sacks it had chosen…but the next sounds he heard made him turn his body enough to look.

Sounds of the sack being torn open nearly made David throw up as something wet broke loose and echoed slightly in the large tunnel. The giant bug smacked its lips and clicked its musical legs as it ripped it open with much enthusiasm, the now exposed sack oozing slime that dripped to the ground and began to form a great puddle. The sight was truly one of breathtaking horror and sheer anxiety. He just couldn't look way.

David began to see its helpless victim. A woman; long dirty-blonde hair, slender features, and had the uniform…_shit. She works with Jim?_ Determination filled him. He knew he couldn't save her, not in his current situation. He could only hope that she was already dead. It would save him the trouble of watching her untimely death.

…he spoke too soon.

The young lady soon came out of her unconscious state, her eyes focusing. Even in the dimly lit tunnel, all covered in slime and bruised from whatever touched her, she was one attractive person. Upon seeing where she was and what loomed in front of her, she gave a deftly scream, filling the tunnel which echoed. The roar pierced his ears and he had to cover them. It was a memory he knew that would haunt him for years to come. He quickly flattened against the cold floor and waited it out.

…her screams were muffled instantly when the giant beast hollered and made her its snack; making loud crunching sounds when it bit down on the young woman and chewed, silencing her instantly. Already David was shaking in fear. He closed his eyes shut tight and kept his hands pressed ever more to his sensitive ears. Deep inside he frantically wished the others would get here already, that the group would come down the hall with weapons blazing and bullets flying, hitting their large target. He sincerely wanted Kevin to be here right now to rescue him; save him from this nightmare that refused to end and continue to impose upon his suffering soul. He just wanted it to be over.

His breathing became more erratic when the only echo in the tunnel was that of the monster having its fill. The fact that the young woman died in such a grotesque way nearly made David insane. He knew that if he was spotted his fate would be no different from hers. And still he didn't want to end up as a midnight snack.

The bug turned, satisfied by the meal, and headed back down the way it came. David was nearly on the verge of tears from fright when gave a final smack and a loud…cough, he supposed, came from the giant bug. A series of 'coughs' was soon followed by sounds of gagging. This continued as it made its way away from David. A final 'cough'…

…something wet, something _solid, _landed in the icky goo a few feet in front of him. He quickly looked up from his hiding spot—

—and was staring directly at a half eaten leg, bloody and soaked. The skin was practically peeled off completely and it dripped of the flea's yellow-green spit. The sight quickened David's heart and made his face turn deathly pale. His voice caught in his throat as his eyes bore into the sight of something horrific. His fever pitched to its peak as his eyes began to twitch and as he opened his mouth to cry out---

"Keviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!"

---the giant flea heard his call and quickly turned to set its hungry eyes upon David.


	3. Chance to Escape

Chapter 3! Finally!

Sorry it took so long for this one to finally make it to the scene--you guys wouldn't _believe _how much I hurt my brain trying to write this one. I will admit that the last half or so is...well, rather dull. I started to lose my writing streak when I suddenly was losing my ability to write properly. But, the show must go on!

As to my previous reviewers, I say thank you.

PJ--I do agree that Chapter 2 seemed off. It wasn't just you, I noticed it too. You were right about missing details concerning David's health and I hoped I explained it better here.

Cannibal Jello--I hope you review again! I can understand that maybe Chapter 2 wasn't worth your while and I doubt Chapter 3 will be any better.

Note to everyone; this is the _last chapter._ I didn't plan on taking it very far.

Forgive me, once again, if this chapter doesn't live up to anyone's expectations. I had a _very_ hard time writing the ending. If it sucks...hey, I tried.

To conclude this piece...

* * *

The ground seemed wet.

Well, _was _wet. As the group exited the sub car to check on their surroundings, guns held ready, they noticed that the emergency sprinkler system did its job; distinguishing the fire caused by another train's crash and left the ground slightly slippery. Kevin exited the train in such a rush that he almost slid off the platform.

"Where should we start?" asked a concerned Yoko.

"Well, definitely not back upstairs," replied a weakened Alyssa. "Which means he might still be down here."

Jim looked around. "But which way?"

"We could try going that way," Cindy pointed towards the dark end of the tunnel, which seemed to stretch into oblivion. "Seems reasonable, right?"

"Yeah," Jim agreed. "If I were a vicious man-eating bug, I'd want to crawl away down a dark tunnel, too. Let's go!"

"Hold it!" Mark intervened when the group, except Kevin, started to move forward. "I suggest we check our weapons first, you know, to make sure we are well covered? We don't know what's down there and how many bugs there are."

George nodded. "He's got a point. If we charge in now unprepared, it could mean trouble. Kevin?"

Kevin didn't turn to regard him. Instead he continued to stare down the dark tunnel. Something seemed to be nagging at him. His gut was giving him a warning…

"Kevin?"

"What?"

"I think we should check our artillery before proceeding to search for David. I for one want to be prepared. Any thoughts?"

Kevin closed his eyes. He wanted to rush down that tunnel and dodge any danger that came his way. He didn't care if it meant going in with his guard down. He just wanted to get to David; it all came down to saving David. But deep down George was right; if they did go in without first checking their current stock he knew there'd be problems. Better go along with it.

He opened his eyes. "Yeah. Let's do that."

George approached him, sensing his hesitation. He placed a hand on Kevin's shoulder and leaned in close, speaking in a low tone so the others wouldn't hear. "I understand how much David means to you. I can see it every time something happens to him. But I want _you _to understand is that not every one here knows the truth about you two as I do. The best thing we can do for him right now is to make sure we're well prepared before marching off into battle. We'll be useless to him if we're all not stocked properly."

Kevin looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

George's firm grip on his shoulder didn't loosen; instead it tightened as his expression turned deadly serious. "Let's kill the son-of-a-bitch responsible for ruining our escape."

Kevin smiled. He felt better. "Then let's make sure it doesn't live."

They were more then ready, they were packing. Jim found an emergency supply box hidden away in the damaged car. Inside contained most of the accessories needed to aid their rescue; flares, a flare gun, a few flashlights, night-vision goggles, and even a pistol. "It could come in handy," Jim said when everyone looked at him rather weird. "You might never know!"

"Alright, are we ready?" Cindy asked.

Mark, George and Kevin took the lead, turning on their flashlights as they began the march down the long tunnel. None of them said a word as they entered the darkness in search of David. Yoko fumbled through her backpack and took a sip of water from the near-empty canteen, handing it to Cindy next. She finished it with much enthusiasm and nodded her thanks. Kevin stayed in the middle of the two men, flashlight pointed to the ground in one hand with his wrist resting atop the other with his gun ready. George followed his lead, staying as close to Kevin as possible. If anything came near the determined cop George wanted to be able to cover his back. Mark seemed to be the only one walking casually; he held his gun at his side and searched the walls with his flashlight for traces of anything unusual.

The plan was this; fire a flare gun, which would illuminate the wide tunnel, charge in with weapons blazing and grab David. Once done they would make their way back down the long tunnel and into the awaiting escape vehicle. Simple, right?

Kevin absentmindedly shook his head. Plans never went the right direction, no matter how simple it sounded and how easy they could make it look. Even with the right tools to pull it off, they _had_ to expect the unexpected.

_Almost out-of-sight of our escape train._ The tunnel seemed to stretch on forever. They walked for several minutes which seemed like hours to Kevin. The long walk was quiet and without incident. Not a single sound was heard except for the gentle hum of a working subway and the soft soles of everyone's footsteps. _Come on, David! Give us a sign! _He was about to turn to George in regards of heading in the right direction, when they all heard it.

A woman's scream coming down the far end of the tunnel.

Kevin froze. His heart caught in his chest and his breathing quickened with each intake. _It's not him, it's another survivor! _They stood there, entranced by the sound of something so horrific it was like they never heard it before. For many heartbeats the scream lifted in pitch---and was suddenly silenced. None of them looked at each other for confirmation. Instead, they remained frozen.

Nothing but the hum of the subway filled their alert ears.

George looked at Kevin then back down the hall.

"Hurry!" He broke into a sprint and disappeared into the darkness.

"George!" Mark chased after the doctor, also disappearing into the everlasting darkness. Soon everyone else gave chase to the two fleeing men.

"Shit shit shit!" Jim repeated hysterically, his flashlight waving around the place as he tried to catch up. "This is no way to drop in unannounced, yo!"

"Shut up and keep running!" Alyssa yelled at him over her shoulder.

The adrenaline was intoxicating. The anxiety of the moment powering them all. Flashlights darted to and fro, the only lights now seen within the tunnel, as the group ran with hidden strength needed to make it to the opposite end. Kevin nearly collided with George when his foot almost slipped from the still-wet tracks. He didn't check to make sure the doctor was okay, instead he kept on running, keeping his gun ready and his head held high.

"We're almost there!" yelled Cindy, who was having a bit of trouble running in her work shoes.

Kevin began to see a faint light in the middle of the tunnel. He could only hope that whoever the scream came from that David _wasn't _with the person whose life was ended suddenly and without question.

His fears were answered when the next yell startled them all, and sent a frightened jolt through Kevin.

"_Keviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!"_

His heart collapsed in his chest. "David!" he shouted into the tunnel. A fresh wave of adrenaline pumped into the young cop and suddenly he was sprinting, passing George and ignoring the doctor's plea to slow down. He couldn't make out anything from this distance, but he did notice some movement. A _lot _of it. His heart pounded at the thought of David being the target of all the commotion.

"David!"

He could hear everyone's echo of shouting David's name when Kevin saw something that made him sprint faster.

* * *

David had no where else to go.

He laid there frozen in fear, staring up into the features of death itself. He couldn't move and he couldn't run. There wasn't much for him to do.

He had no where else to go.

Already the giant flea towered above him, flexing its skinny arms and reaching out with its long ones to grab him. He tried using the white goo as cover when the thing came close enough and attacked; at first it was strong enough to stop if not slow down its legs as it tried to impale him through the white substance. A few times in came within inches of his arms and face. Finally it became smart and slammed one leg down on the white strand that held his lower legs together, stopping him completely. Still, the white substance refused to be severed and now David expected the inevitable.

His body continued to sweat and lose blood. The constant motion of his limbs kept his body from doing the appropriate healing needed before he was able to require the proper medical treatment from George. _If our next stop is Raccoon Hospital…_ His skin started to feel cold and clammy…he definitely felt sick. It wasn't long before he would black out from loss of blood. Already he was seeing spots in front of his eyes from the working poison. _Stay alive…stay alive long enough so they can find you…_

He thought he heard his name being called above his heavy breathing and fast pounding heart. But the only thing he really heard was the things angry cry from the workout David made it do in order to finally trap him. He held still as its legs grabbed onto him and lifted him from the ground above its head. This was it. This was his moment of terror. He closed his eyes tight as he was raised practically to the ceiling---almost able to touch its cold exterior---and braced himself as the creature opened its mouth and began to lower him towards its gaping jaw.

* * *

The scene played out before Kevin as he neared was enough to make his heart drop to his knees and the blood drain from his face. The bug had David within its grasp and was about to devour him whole.

He wasted no time; he gathered up the last ounce of strength he had left within his sprint and charged the monster head-on. The bug was taken by surprise when Kevin slammed into its lower body, giving it a powerful shove like a football player would do to his opponent. The action made the bug tilt and eventually start to fall on its side. With a wide swing it let go of David and sent him flying further down the tunnel, the white substance jerking him slightly as it finally snapped when he fell to the ground, rolling before finally stopping.

He lay still.

The giant bug quickly regained its footing and retreated down the tunnel.

"Get back here you son-of-a-bitch!" Kevin hollered as he chased after it, sending bullet after bullet into the things legs. His mind was reeling as he gritted his teeth in absolute rage. No matter what he was prepared to chase it into oblivion.

"Kevin," George caught up to the fleeing renegade and fired a flare gun, illuminating the wide tunnel before raising his own gun to shoot at the huge monstrosity.

The bug retreated down the hall on injured legs. Kevin shot off one of its smaller tentacles and prepared to aim for another when the bug suddenly turned mid-stride and swiped its long legs, barely missing him and George. The rest of the group caught up to the two men as the bug began its ferocious swinging; guns blazing with occasional head ducking and side-stepping. The bug, however injured, put up a stubborn fight and advanced upon the group, leading everyone back down the dimly lit tunnel.

Kevin wouldn't back down. He wanted this monster dead and wasn't about to stop until it was literally fed a barrage of bullets.

* * *

David's back hurt.

_That's completely obvious, _he thought. _That and your side still hurts, not to mention the growing headache… _The sound of gunfire and a screaming beast brought David back into reality. He gently sat himself up—neck and back cracking—and was glad to feel his legs separate, although now his pants were slimy with ooze. He frowned in disgust and turned to look down the tunnel. The giant bug had nearly everyone cornered; every time they managed to push it back it always found a way to advance forward. From where David sat he could see blood on the things body from exit wounds, possibly from Kevin's weapon. _It has them. Once they ran out of bullets, that's it. There will be no stopping it._

David had to do something.

He checked around the place, knowing that his tools once again would be of no use. Sacks above, ooze below in a puddle or two, damaged pipes that were hissing steam from bullet contact, severed electrical wires… _The wires. If the bug is standing in the middle…_

He had an idea.

It was a bit of a long shot, but he had an idea.

* * *

"Dammit!" Kevin yelled for the twentieth time as he ducked and rolled to avoid being slammed into the pipes. He was down to his last clip which told him they were running out of options. "Shit...!" He leaped away and rolled again, avoiding the things bloody leg. George helped him up and handed him another clip. They were very steadily being pushed back into the tunnel where soon the darkness would consume them. Once they reached the train, it was either hide back inside the battered vehicle or head back up aboveground and survive on the street. Neither sounded good.

They were _definitely_ running out of options.

"Didn't work again?" George asked, covering Kevin so he could reload his clip.

"Obviously not," Kevin replied.

"This isn't working!" Jim shouted from somewhere beside them.

"We're getting farther away from David!" Yoko yelled above the noise. "We'll never be able to get to him now!"

"Dammit!" Kevin started to empty his new clip. Yoko was right; the more they allowed the bug to push them the farther away they were from David. He shot a successful round into the bug's lower gut, which came out the other end. In response, the bug suddenly lurched forward and swung its bloody legs, barely missing George and Kevin. It swung again the opposite way and managed to make contact with Alyssa, slamming her into the pipes.

"Alyssa!" Yoko made a quick dash to the fallen reporter and fired off a few rounds at the looming monstrosity before attempting to help her up. George and Mark doubled up to help aid in Yoko's rescue. The effort seemed inevitable when the bug suddenly grabbed onto a helpless Yoko and was ready to devour her, hitting the other two men out of the way. Jim was also thrown against a series of pipes on the opposite side when he got too close. Kevin and Cindy were forced to retreat back several steps.

Kevin took careful aim…then let his arm fall. "Dammit! Dammit dammit, double dammit!" He let out an exasperated sigh and watched as Yoko was about to be eaten _alive _by the huge monster—_alright, Ryman! Try shooting it in the legs again!_

"Hurry Kev!" Cindy yelled.

He raised his arm again, a single drop of sweat passing the side of his face, took careful aim…_breathe, don't hit her_…pulled the trigger—

—and was surprised by the rather loud echo when his gun went off and the bullet made contact. Beside him, Cindy gasped and a smile soon spread across her soft features. "David!"

Kevin looked passed the bug, who dropped Yoko after the bullet shot off another injured leg, and looked to see David standing not that far behind it—holding Alyssa's precious gun—and…_a wire?_ It crackled as he held it an arms length away, his expression one of determination and absolute certainty. Kevin had never felt so proud of him.

"Back off!" David commanded as he ran forward. He slid directly under the massive creature and jammed the wire deep within its hole-infested belly, sliding away before stopping almost in front of Kevin. The group watched as the giant bug violently shuddered, its bloody arms pointing outwards as it was being executed.

Nobody moved or breathed a word. David leaned in against Kevin, closing his eyes as he finally gave in to much needed rest, allowing his body to go limp. Finally, the bug gave one last violent jerk…and fell over, twitching, but very much deceased. Cindy sighed a breath of relief and Mark patted Yoko's shoulder.

"Finally," Jim concluded. He took off his hat and wiped his forehead. "What a way to start a barbeque!"

"Disgusting," Alyssa commented. She dusted herself off and reclaimed her gun. "How's David?"

Kevin looked to George, who in turn got up and crouched next to David, checking his pulse and looking at his watch. A few seconds ticked by…

"Well?" asked a nervous Kevin.

"He's fine," George confirmed. He reached around and placed a hand on David's forehead. "His fever is at its highest. He might go into shock due to the lack of blood, which means that we better make a quick trip to Raccoon Hospital."

"The hospital? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

George calmly looked at him. "I won't be able to treat him properly without my equipment. He's also lost a considerable amount of blood; there's a good chance he'll wind up in a coma if we don't get there tonight."

Kevin began to protest again…until that familiar sound filled their ears and shut him up.

…_click_…_click click_…

Followed by a wet _pop_, which soon increased to several _pops_…

George and Kevin looked up to see several of the medium sized fleas crawl across what resembled large sacs that were filled with…an unknown substance…and were carefully poking random holes in them. Neither one of them said a word as one sack completely opened and a half-naked human fell to the ground a few feet in front of them… Both men gazed down the tunnel to find a swarm of fleas trailing after them.

Kevin immediately turned David over to hoist him up when another, and _another_, human fell to the ground a few feet away. "Time to go!"

George helped Kevin get David over his shoulders. "What gave you that idea?"

"They're dropping bodies to slow us down. Which means we have to go!" Kevin stood after he got a good grip on David's lifeless body and took off, George following closely on his heels. All around them bodies continued to drop left and right; the bugs refusing to give up as the two men ran back down the dark tunnel towards their escape vehicle. He had to spit a few times as ooze from the sacks splashed onto the ground and went over his face. George didn't have so much luck when he stepped into a large puddle worth of it, passing by a half-eaten leg.

"Let's hope Jim doesn't lose his nerve!" Kevin yelled above the commotion. He was surprised at how light David became. _Better get him treated and fast!_

"He better not," George stated from somewhere behind him. "Or he'll have to answer to us!"

"I resent that!" Jim yelled, holding onto his workers hat.

Kevin forced a smile, but immediately it vanished as they made it into the darkness of the tunnel. He silently prayed that nothing was lurking within its mysterious grasp. For if there was, he couldn't see it and there was only one flashlight being used.

A flare suddenly came to life and was thrown past Kevin's face, landing into the middle of the darkness---and amongst a huge crowd of awaiting fleas, all gathered in a perfect ambush. They all ran away from the intrusion that broke the darkness as George lit up another and threw it in a different direction. Two flares soon turned into three…which turned into four…finally he lit the fifth and threw it on top of the sub car once they were within throwing distance. It landed and a few squirming bugs jumped away, but not before George had his gun out and shot them all to oblivion.

Glad for the cover, Kevin managed to get David's body up on the platform when Mark caught up to him. Together they made it into the sub car and waited for everyone else to get inside. "You get David to the back, and I'll stand guard by the door!"

Mark held his ground as Kevin went to the back—again—with David.

"Oh shit!" Jim squealed. They managed to move a few feet forward until the train stopped. Jim fumbled with random controls. "It seems to be stuck! It won't move!"

"Then get out and push!" Alyssa yelled on the other side, shooting her gun out the window. "We won't be able to hold them off forever, you dork!"

"Then why don't _you _do it if _your_ so smart!"

Alyssa lowered her gun and sneered. She turned and advanced towards him. "Maybe I will—as long as you help me!"

"Alyssa!" Mark grabbed her arms as she raised them to hit Jim. Jim meanwhile, sat in his seat and stuck his tongue out at her, making faces which aggravated her all the more. She struggled and argued with Mark to let her go so she could give a free one on the cocky young man. Kevin listened from the back with mild amusement as he assisted George in applying yet another set of wrappings to David's bruising wounds.

"It's becoming infected," George announced as he taped up the ends. He placed the tape and last set of gauze jacket pocket. "There's not much more I can do until we get to the hospital. He'll also need a stronger dose of medicine to be completely rid of the poison." George patted Kevin on the back. "He needs to rest when this thing gets moving. Judging the time between here and the right platform, it won't be much but we need to make sure he's comfortable before we get there."

Kevin nodded. "Gotcha, doc."

George smiled before grabbing his weapon to help the others kill off the swarm of bugs that continued to bombard the helpless train. The flares kept most of them at bay and he knew it was a matter of time before they went out and the rest of the "hive" followed suit. He turned to David who had his eyes closed and was resting the whole time he was being cleansed.

"David…" One look at him and Kevin knew something was up. He gently caressed his clammy cheek…_he's almost like ice. _David's eyes didn't open to look at Kevin. He took the plumber's slightly warm hand into his and squeezed. After a few agonizing seconds…

David's eyes fluttered open, his pupils dilating. He smirked. "Kev."

Kevin felt a huge weight lift from his chest. "Dave."

David stared at him, swallowing. "The bug?"

"Dead."

"Everyone?"

"Still alive."

"Are we moving?"

Kevin shook his head. "The train is stuck and Jim's trying to get it moving again," he leaned in close. "George says we need to get you to the hospital before the poison does any more damage."

"Figures."

"Hey."

"What?"

"You were pretty cool back there. You know, killing that bug and all."

David closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. "Whatever."

"You want to lie on your back?"

"As long as nothing takes me away again."

"Deal."

He placed Yoko's backpack under his head when the sub car finally moved ahead. Jim shouted in excitement as he sped up the battered train, yelling at the many bugs they hit along the tracks. Alyssa joined him, shooting her gun out a broken window. Kevin smiled and sighed; glad to finally be moving along. He knew that it was to be short-lived for their next stop was Raccoon Hospital. _Doesn't matter. I have David, and that's all that counts._

"You want to know something?"

David grunted, holding Kevin's hand.

"You had me worried back there. I thought…I thought I lost you." Kevin squeezed David's hand, and this time he got a response.

"Nothing's gonna kill me, Kev."

Kevin was silent.

"…because your with me."

He raised David's hand up to his lips and gave his knuckle a kiss. "Damn right."

The train gave a small shudder, and Kevin looked up to see Alyssa hitting Jim over the head her fists. _There she goes. Always hitting poor defenseless Jim. _He smiled as Jim did his best in defending himself from the stubborn reporter. The train shuddered a few more times as Alyssa slammed Jim against the controls a few more times before Mark and Cindy stopped her from killing him completely. He looked back at David and stroked the side of his face, careful not to loosen his hair from the ponytail.

David was alive.

The bug was dead.

The only things left to do was this; cure David's poison and escape from Raccoon City. Kevin knew the night wasn't over. They still had many hours before daybreak and that alone said that time was running short. He was glad that David wasn't lost to the working bowels of the horrific beast—instead it became the "main course." The train soon passed its smoking body and broke through the many white columns before treading back on solid tracks.

"Hell above ground," David quietly said. "And hell below."


End file.
